Marijuana Legalization in Canada Draws Near, But Anxiety Arises Over The Health Effect on Youth

Canada will begin the legalization of marijuana next year on Canada Day, July 1. However, some concerns regarding the abuse of marijuana in youth because of the controversial legal age at 18 years old.

The Canada Liberal government has decided to mark the 2018 Canada Day as the day of marijuana legalization in Canada. Unfortunately, there are still some unsolved issues, such as concern about the youth protection against the abuse of marijuana as reported by CBC News.

According to the interim editor in chief of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Dr. Diane Kelsall, the Bill C-45 that gives marijuana legalization in Canada failed to provide safeguards against abuse. She said that the marijuana legalization in Canada should put concern to protect the youth and their brain development. She also noted that the law should provide sufficient protection for them.

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"There are a number of things in the legislation that is truly worrisome," Dr. Kelsall said in her view on the marijuana legalization in Canada. "If the intent is truly a public health approach and to protect our youth this legislation is not doing it

The most controversial thing in marijuana legalization in Canada, as reported by ABC News, is the minimum age for using the pot. Canada reduces the minimum age to 18, three years lower than eight U.S. states that have legalized the marijuana. The Canadian government under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau argued that putting the age limit to 21 will drive the black market for marijuana and encourage the youths to crime.

Health concern over the issue of marijuana legalization in Canada is the inevitability of young people to smoke pot since the young age, with the belief that cannabis is harmless medication. Unfortunately, there are many cases that people who smoked pots regularly in their youths, grow up to be the miserable adults. Watch the report on the marijuana legalization in Canada below: